Alstroemeria plant named ‘Zapricia’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alstroemeria  plant named ‘Zapricia’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; light yellow-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Alstroemeria hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Zapricia’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, commercially used as a potted Alstroemeria, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Zapricia’.

The new Alstroemeria is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Alstroemeria hybrida cultivar Staprisusa, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,119. The cultivar Zapricia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within a population of plants of the cultivar Staprisusa in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in May, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Alstroemeria by rhizome divisions in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands since September, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Zapricia has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Zapricia’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Zapricia’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria:

-   -   1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Light yellow-colored flowers.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the parent, the cultivar Staprisusa. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of the cultivar Staprisusa in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria are more compact than plants         of the cultivar Staprisusa.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Alstroemeria are darker green in         color than leaves of plants of the cultivar Staprisusa.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the Alstroemeria hybrida cultivar Staprilene, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,683. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed from plants of the cultivar Staprilene in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria were not as broad as plants of         the cultivar Staprilene.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had longer leaves than plants         of the cultivar Staprilene.     -   3. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and the cultivar Staprilene         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Staprilene         had pale yellow and white-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Alstroemeria, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alstroemeria. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Zapricia’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Alstroemeria grown in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands during the winter in a glass-covered greenhouse in 14-cm containers. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 15° C. and light levels averaged 5,000 lux. Plants used for the photograph and description were about four months from planting. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida cultivar Zapricia. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the     Alstroemeria hybrida cultivar Staprisusa, disclosed in U.S. Plant     Pat. No. 14,119. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By rhizome divisions.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 40 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 60 days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy, thick; close to 155D, in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.         -   Rhizomes.—Shape: Elongate; rounded. Length: About 10 cm to             30 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 10 mm. Texture: Smooth.             Color: Close to 155D. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant             habit. Freely branching habit with about 10 to 15 primary             branches developing per plant, dense and bushy appearance.             Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm to 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 30 cm to 40 cm. -   Flowering stem description:     -   -   Aspect.—Upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.         -   Length.—About 10 cm to 20 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm to 8 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 0.5 cm to 1.5 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—146C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Appearance.—Leaves asymmetrical; sessile.         -   Length.—About 6 cm to 9 cm.         -   Width.—About 2 cm to 3 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing and fully developed foliage, upper             surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 137C. Developing             and fully developed foliage, lower surface: Close to 137C;             venation, close to 137C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single cup-shaped flowers arranged in             compound umbels. Flowers face mostly upright. Perianth             segments separate. Freely and continuously flowering.             Flowers not persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering continuous during the             spring in The Netherlands.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About four weeks.         -   Flower buds (showing color).—Length: About 3 cm to 4 cm.             Diameter: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Shape: Roughly ovoid. Color:             Close to 146C.         -   Umbel height.—About 9 cm to 12 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 11 cm to 15 cm.         -   Number of flower per umbel.—About two to ten.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6.5 cm to 7.5 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 6 cm to 7 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 6 cm to 7 cm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each             whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Size, outer             perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 5.5 cm to 6 cm.             Width, lateral segments: About 4 cm to 4.5 cm. Length,             median segment: About 5.5 cm to 6 cm. Width, median segment:             About 4 cm to 4.5 cm. Size, inner perianth: Length, lateral             segments: About 6.5 cm to 7 cm. Width, lateral segments:             About 2 cm to 2.5 cm. Length, median segment: About 5 cm to             5.5 cm. Width, median segment: About 2.2 cm to 2.6 cm.             Shape, outer perianth, lateral and median segments: Obovate.             Shape, inner perianth, lateral and median segments:             Oblanceolate. Apex, outer perianth, lateral and median             segments: Embedded pointed. Apex, inner perianth, lateral             and median segments: Wishbone-shaped. Base, outer and inner             perianths, lateral and median segments: Attenuate. Margin,             outer and inner perianths, lateral and median segments:             Entire; undulate. Texture, outer and inner perianths,             lateral and median segments: Smooth, glabrous. Color, outer             perianth: When opening and fully opened, lateral and median             segments, upper surface: 10A; towards the center, 10A             flushed with 45C; at the apex, close to 144A; stripes, close             to 183A. When opening and fully opened, lateral and median             segments, lower surface: 10A; towards the center, 10A             flushed with 45C; lower center and base, 146C; at the apex             and midvein, close to 144A. Color, inner perianth: When             opening and fully opened, lateral segments, upper surface:             10A tinted with 45C; towards the center and base, close to             14A; at the apex, close to 144A; stripes, close to 183A.             When opening and fully opened, median segment, upper             surface: 10B tinted with 45C; towards the center and base,             close to 14B; at the apex, close to 144A; stripes, close to             183A. When opening and fully opened, lateral segments, lower             surface: 10A tinted with 45C; towards the center and base,             close to 14B; midvein, close to 144A; stripes, close to             183A. When opening and fully opened, median segment, lower             surface: 10C tinted with 45C; towards the center and base,             close to 14C; midvein, close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 2             mm to 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: About 20° to about 40°             from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Filament color: Close to 14D. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther             length: About 7 mm. Anther diameter: About 2 mm. Anther             color: Close to 152B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             Close to 152B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Style             length: About 4 cm to 4.5 cm. Style color: Close to 14D.             Stigma color: Close to 151D. Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed development has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Alstroemeria. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain     and temperatures from about −5° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Alstroemeria plant named ‘Zapricia’ as illustrated and described. 